


To Run For His Life

by louvelocked



Category: One Direction
Genre: Angst, Evil to good, Fluff, Gangs, Jail, Louis pretty poor, M/M, Smut, Weapons, criminal!harry, everyone loves smut though, lots of emotional breakdowns, theft/robbery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-08-08 14:41:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7761916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/louvelocked/pseuds/louvelocked
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis' just a poor boy with a head full of painful memories and the drive to keep his sisters (and maybe himself) alive. But everything changes when he meets an esoteric criminal with too much hair and a bad attitude. Niall's his loyal tagalong and oh, Zayn and Liam join the fun too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue.

**Author's Note:**

> So I got the idea for this story once when I was listening to prisoner by the weeknd on a rainy Saturday. It sat in the back of my mind forever and then I got on my notes and started messing around with a prologue and now a story is actually happening and well, that's just insane. 
> 
> I have a feeling this whole thing is going to be a crazy bumpy ride so hang on and I will too. I'm going to try and update weekly just so you know and oh! listen to prisoner if you haven't. 
> 
>  I guess this is that prologue thing. ;)

Everyone knows that night shifts suck. Everyone including Louis Tomlinson. 

He's worked at the small, in-town grocery store since was sixteen and never had to close once. 

...Until now. Everything was great, it was. But when the daytime was obliterated by the rapidly falling night, Louis may have gotten a bit scared. He sat behind the counter and watched as the purple sky transformed into a vast expanse of jet-black that engulfed the town. He hasn't had a customer at all since he got here, and he's finding the sense of loneliness to be a bit too chilling. 

The only noise in the shop was the buzz of the  
dull 'open' sign that was merely flickering into existence every now and then. That is, until the little bell on the door clanked, signaling someone walked in. 

Louis looked up and watched as his best friend, Niall, stepped out of the night and into the small circle of light the store provided. 

"Niall." Louis nodded his head at him. "You look like a wet dog." 

Niall's blond tufts were matted down with glittering droplets of water, those same droplets freckling over his jacket and pants. The jacket was too small for him, a small hole visible on one of the pockets. He wore a blank expression, his mouth set in a straight line. 

"Had to walk here." Was all he responded with. He walked up to the counter, his sneakers squeaking harshly against the marble floor with each step. 

Louis followed Niall's movement with his easy blue eyes. "What are you doing here? Aren't you working tomorrow?" 

"Not before I get a glass of that." Niall answered, head nodding towards the alcohol lined up neatly behind a glass case. Niall came around and plucked the key from Louis' pocket to unlock the case per usual. "I'm taking tomorrow off." 

Louis ignored the work comment, still watching Niall as he took down a bottle of rose-colored liquid. 

"You should really stop stealing from the store." He suggested quietly, almost ashamed. 

Ever since Louis started working here Niall considered it his ticket to have whatever he wanted. Louis has many memories of the two lounging around in the storage room with cigarettes and chocolate bars, eyes gleaming with the vigor of youth and freedom. Louis' not much like that anymore. 

"I'll pay it back." Niall claimed carelessly. Louis knew he wouldn't. "Grimmy's fault for not putting cameras up in here." 

Niall set the bottle down on the counter and hopped up to sit on it, legs dangling off the side. Louis was still watching him, the lines on Niall's face showing his stress. He always looks tired these days, the life in his eyes fading away into exhaustion. Louis realizes how much he misses his soft Irish eyes that always swam with joy. He tries not to think about it. 

"We can't afford cameras." He says instead, closing the magazine he abandoned. 

"I know." 

The room fell into silence after that, and Louis found himself staring blankly outside, something he does often. There was an adequate amount of stars in the sky illuminating the dark, and it lit a fire inside Louis' guts. The stars are calming, burning away the drabness that is his life. Louis doesn't like thinking. 

"D'you remember the time we got drunk and ran through the spray pad at the park naked?" Niall asked suddenly, breaking the silence and Louis from his heavy thoughts. 

"Yeah." Louis muttered, remembrance blooming inside of him like a flower in the Spring. Flashbacks of his younger self came pouring into his head, him and Niall streaking through the park like the reckless teenagers they were. "My mum drove us home in the trunk of her van." 

Niall smiled brightly, a genuine one, which Louis loves to see. But it was hard for him to smile back. He doesn't see his mother much, and when he does she's usually drinking, using alcohol to turn her colored memories to black and white. 

The little store bell clanked and Louis and Niall both looked up to see Grimmy, the owner, stepping into the store. His midnight hair was wet much like Niall's, and he clutched a navy blue beanie in his palm as he wiped his boots on the mat. 

"Oh hey Niall." He greeted with a low sigh, barely noticeable. "What are you doing here?" 

Niall was surprised Grimmy didn't comment on the champagne flute clutched in his hand. 

"Louis' first day with the late shift. Didn't want to leave my best mate all alone." Niall replied, clamping his hand down over Louis' shoulder for emphasis. 

Grimmy shoved his hands in his wet jacket pockets. "Who's watching your sisters?" 

Louis' face automatically reddened, a shameful sort of grimace on his face. "Nobody. They're sleeping. I was just kind of hoping they wouldn't wake up." 

Louis has always taken care of his sisters. He's practically their dad in the sense he's the one that feeds them, gives them medicine, makes them go to school, and most importantly loves them like he knows his mother can't. It's the only reason he works so much, to make sure they're supported. 

Grimmy nodded once, knowing. "They'll be okay Lou." 

"What brings you here then?" Louis asked, standing up from the stool he was sitting on. He came around the corner and sat up on the counter with Niall. 

"Insomnia mostly." Grimmy rolled his eyes to himself but Louis caught it. "I knew you were working tonight and thought you could use help counting stock." 

Louis reached behind him and grabbed the clipboard, handing it over to Grimmy with a sheepish sort of grin. 

"Already done." 

Grimmy looked over it, bristly eyebrows furrowed together in concentration. His lips turned upward and he shook his head at Louis, 

"Always was the best." He muttered, proud. The comment made Louis smile, his body warm with accomplishment. 

Louis couldn't keep the smile off his face as his eyes wandered back towards the giant windows, the luminous stars still twinkling in the air. He was starting to get lost in thought again, until he noticed a silhouette moving around in the starlit darkness. He squinted his eyes, making out a tall figure throwing something violently through the air. 

"Grimmy." He said, alarmed. "Who is that?" 

Grimmy followed Louis' gaze to the figure standing not too far from the store. The other shops lined up on the street provided enough light for Grimmy to see the figure wearing all black, a waterfall of curls spilling over their shoulders. He knew immediately. 

Harry Styles stood with his ringed fingers wrapped around a beer bottle, aiming it at Liam Payne's head. There was a pleased smile painted on his pink-tinted lips, and Grimmy could see the scars on his hands and arms from here. 

"Nobody." Grimmy said, jaw clenched. "Stay away from him."

Louis didn't respond, just watched the person violently throw the beer bottle against a brick wall. 

And in the midst of all the glass shattering and inky canopy of darkness, he decided Grimmy was right.


	2. One.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crook rule #1: panic gets you caught.

The mall was always crowded in the fall. People moved about like enchanting shoals of fish, unseeing hands pulling their eyes from one thing to another. The crowd was a life of its own, vibrant clothes shining through in the afternoon light and, it's a busy today for sure. The hustle and bustle brings a life to the city that Louis isn't used to. 

He was annoyed on this afternoon in particular. His body ached for the need of sleep and his stomach filled with the unrelenting misery of hunger. He was only at the mall in the first place because Niall so desperately needed a wedding gift for his brother. Louis' never been to a wedding. 

He tapped the tip of his beat-up Toms against the tiled floor as he waited, eyes following people's movements. 

Some people had forlorn faces and broken eyes while others looked brightened and eager. Louis' never been claustrophobic, but in the almighty swell of humanity he felt panic rising inside of him. He's used to being in his own small town with one shop where everyone knows everyone. 

"What do you think of this?" 

The thick Irish accent snapped Louis from his thoughts of impending doom and he looked up. Niall was stood there, bag clutched in his hand. His t-shirt contoured around his body like a wet Kleenex and his hair was poorly styled, flopping into his curious blue eyes. He held up a tropical snow globe with a little boat that tumbled around inside, lapping against the glass like it was trying to escape. 

"Snow Globe?" Louis questioned, snorting. "That's a wedding gift?" 

"No. This is all I could afford." Niall paused. "It was either this snow globe or a keychain that says 'watch out I forgot to take my meds'." 

Louis cracked another smile. "I'm sure he'd appreciate that keychain." 

As the two dodged past people to get outside, Louis thought about how it's like his own life is split into two halves inside of a snowglobe.  He's constantly oscillating between playing two different roles; the dad and the regular young adult. Whenever the two meet, it's like fate is taking the snowglobe in two hands and shaking it to create the most alarming and unnerving storm. He didn't like to think about it. 

"It's too bloody cold out here." Niall muttered. 

Louis glanced out at the distance and saw the low fog that clings, hiding the homes at the top of the street. He feels the cold too, late fall whispering breath on his skin. He cold tell Niall was cold, the wind whisking away all heat and leaving him pale. Everything on him was white except his coffee-brown roots that were growing out faster than Niall could keep up with. 

"Maybe you should've worn a jacket." Louis commented, his hands shoved in his own jacket's pockets. 

Niall made a face. "I only have one, and it's tiny on me." And yeah, Louis knew that. "Just hand me the keys so we can go home." 

Louis turned to give Niall a look, trying to keep the panic out of his eyes. "You never gave me the keys." 

Niall stopped walking and stood there like a deer in the headlights. Louis stopped too, turning back to watch him. 

Neither of them have ever had a car, so maybe it was a bad idea for Greg to let them take his Mercedes to the mall, a place unfamiliar to the both of them. 

"I'll go get them." Niall claimed. He turned and jogged away so suddenly that Louis didn't have any time to think. Niall's shoe was untied, the shopping bag flying back and forth as he went. Louis shook his head. 

He kicked a small rock and watched it bounce towards a storm drain as he continued walking down the colorful row of various cars. 

And that's when it all began. 

He blinked up and immediately spotted a figure inside of Greg's Mercedes. Panic rose inside of him like a twinge of pain, uncertain. 

The person was clearly tall, his head coming up much higher than Louis' did when he was in the car. He appeared to be in his twenties, his face clean-shaven and utterly serious, eyes made of rich emerald. He was on his phone, his bottom lip pulled between his teeth in concentration. The light shining from the screen illuminated the scars on the guys hand like he had a past full of war. 

Louis felt like he'd been staring for ages until suddenly the guy looked right at him. They locked eyes and the tension surrounded them like a prey-seeking tiger, ready to attack at any second. 

From inside the vehicle, Harry studied Louis hard with his eyes. He looked like a teenager with a mop of chestnut that would've looked better if he weren't so small. His old maroon shirt looked like it belonged to someone else, clinging where it shouldn't and hanging loose where it shouldn't. He had on scrubby jeans and his cheekbones were sculpted straight from heaven but something about him was bookish. Like inside of his persona was a little nerd. 

The only convenient thing about him was that he was alone. So on impulse, Harry reached over and violently opened the door as hard as he could. It hit Louis harshly in the knees, sending him toppling to the ground. 

Louis lay there, his faced closed in a grimace. His eyes were robbed of their usual warmth, squeezing closed as firey bursts of pain pulsated inside of him. He cringed, using the van next to him to get himself back up slowly. 

"Dammit." Harry muttered as he watched Louis get back up. His worried eyes darted around in hopes that nobody saw the encounter. Thankfully, the parking lot was still empty, nobody in sight. 

The door was still open, Louis standing in front of it with his hand clutched onto his hip. 

"Get in the car." Harry demanded darkly, the serenity of silence surrendered to his voice. 

Louis tried to blink his eyes open, but pain and confusion swirled together through his brain, halting his thoughts. 

"What?" He muttered, slurring like he was drunk. The sun was suddenly far too bright, pain amplifying every time he tried to move. 

"I said get in the fucking car." 

Louis finally opened his eyes, the blue irises  focusing on Harry like a camera lens. He directed his attention to the gun in Harry's hand. It was aimed at Louis' chest, Harry's finger curled around the trigger and the strong afternoon light shone strongly from the steel barrel of the revolver. 

Painful memories of gunshots cut through Louis like shards of glass, ripping him apart. It was like a movie reel in slow motion, grainy footage of his horrifying past showing up in his head. Yelling voices echoed, heavy footsteps rushing down the stairs, moans of pain and agony, then gunshots. Images of his sister shrieking in fear flashed through his mind, and he felt the panic begin like clusters of spark plugs in his abdomen. In another minute, the panic is a deluge of ice water surrounding every limb, creeping higher and higher. 

Harry noticed Louis' breathing become more rapid and shallow, salty tears streaming down his cheeks. He looked sick, gasping and lurching forward like his brain was demanding the energetic expenditure of an athlete. 

"Louis." He said plainly, lowering the gun. 

Louis gripped the car door as tightly as he could, trying his best to breathe. He felt like he was dying, like an invisible hand was clasping over his mouth and a carousel of fear was spinning around wildly in his head. 

"How do you-- how do you know my name?" Louis asked through loud gasps. 

Harry gritted his teeth together impatiently and glanced around again to make sure nobody was watching. "You need to breathe, and get in the car. I'm not going to hurt you, we need to get the fuck out of here." 

Louis' eyes were distant as he deposited himself in the front seat, hands still spasming out of control. Harry shut the door for him. 

"What is this?" Louis sputtered, still breathing all wrong. His wide eyes were wet and raw, all defenses washed away in the salty tears. It was the face of someone who had suffered before and couldn't do it again. 

Harry started the engine, car roaring to life as he spoke. "A nice Sunday drive through the town." His voice dripped sarcasm, not bothering to mask his annoyance. "What does it look like, I'm stealing this car." 

In an instant Louis' lips parted slightly, face going pale with fear as his brained desperately scrambled to make sense of the situation. 

"This isn't my car." Louis said quietly. His voice was small, calming down gradually but still full of fear. 

"I can tell." 

Harry began to speed down the freeway, engine idling. Louis sat in the soft leather seat, practically holding on for his life, but all that mattered to Harry was distance. His eyes flickered back and forth between the road and the GPS system he hooked up, tracking their position while the world passed by in a blur of lights.

"How did you get in this car how did you start it?" Louis demanded suddenly. He was still clueless as to why this is all happening. "And you never told me who you are.. or how you know my name." 

Harry smirked, nose crinkling up in amusement. "You ask a lot of questions." 

"Because I need a lot of answers." 

"Don't worry about who I am." Harry answered, plucking a cigarette from the box between his legs. He shoved it in his mouth and lit it with his free hand while Louis stared at him incredulously. 

"Why do you keep doing that?" Louis asked him, actually appalled. Harry was so smug and smart about everything. If he didn't have a gun Louis probably would've punched him in the face by now. 

"Doing what, driving with one hand?" Harry smirked yet again, waving his free hand in the air for Louis to see as he laughed at his own wit. 

"What—no." Louis shook his head, frustrated. "Are you this much of an asshole about everything?" 

Harry took a long drag of his cigarette, inhaling the sweet smoke and then letting it out, still smiling. "You're so cute when you're upset." 

Louis ignored him this time, too annoyed to keep up the conversation. His eyes roamed down to the gun that was thrown carelessly down in a cup holder. His insides twisted and he quickly averted his eyes. Harry noticed. 

"What is it with you and guns?" He asked. He rolled down the window and threw his cigarette out. 

It was the question Louis wasn't ready for. Fear always sat quietly within him, eroding the person he was born to be. Maybe it's because he's been through way too much. Wether he likes it or not, darkness always comes. 

"Guns kill people." Is all he said, voice shriveling back down to quiet and soft. 

"People kill people." Harry corrected darkly, eyes ghosting over with seriousness. 

Silence fell upon the two after that, the only noise being the tires rumbling and the gentle hum of the heater. 

Louis stared out the window, watching the trees wiz by as they drove. They were tinged with red and gold, not yet deserting their lofty branches. It reminded him of a fall he experienced a long while ago, him and his mother watching the leaves dance to the ground and then stepping on the crunchy ones. He remembered her bright smile in the cool air and wetter ground, picking apples for him since he was much too short. The breeze blew his hair in his face and his fingers numbed but back then he didn't care. 

"What are you thinking about?" Louis jumped at Harry's voice, averting his gaze from the window and looking at Harry. His memories vanished from his mind like a thought bubble disappearing in cartoons. "You're so different you know that?" 

Louis blinked a few times, staring at Harry's side profile. "What do you mean?" 

"I've kidnapped plenty of people or held them hostage and usually they're defiant, loud, fearful or threatening." Harry gestured with his free hand. "But you? 20 minutes ago you were having a panic attack and now you're asking me all these questions like a smart aleck and staring out the window like you're in a movie or something." 

Louis didn't know how to respond, turning to look at the windshield like the answer would be written there. 

"Should I be scared of you?" He asked, finally. 

Harry smirked again, but dark this time, his face stretching into a joker-like grin. 

"Oh yeah." He said. "Very scared."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm is what I'd like to call this chapter. I'm starting the second one tonight and it should be up by the end of the week, thank you so much for reading, it feuls me. 
> 
> Also, another good song for this story is super rich kids by frank ocean, give it a listen and you'll thank me


	3. Two.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crook rule #2: Avoid unwanted attention

Scarlet and gold licked at the blue sky above Niall Horan as he stood at Louis' front door. The chill in the post-dawn air caused him to shiver as he waited for an answer, longing for the first few rays of Spring. 

He kept his eyes trained on the familiar house; glass was framed with rotting, mildewed wood and cracked white paint. Condensation collects in small puddles, a rough assortment of muddied shoes strewn in front of the door. Broken hooks stuck out of the side of the house, the broken doorbell covered in greasy fingerprints. 

A few moments passed and the door finally swung open, revealing Lottie. 

"Niall?" She said, voice weak and tired. She looked bad, like energy was drained from her and she was leaking electricity. "Louis' not here." 

Niall brushed by her and into the house uninvited, which he did often. The house was the same as usual, ceramic tiled floor with cracks and dirt encrusted grouting, rough wooden staircase ahead, warped banister, filthy carpet. The place cluttered with left dishes and small toys, and it smelled like play doh mixed with old candles. 

"Where'd he go?" Niall asked, eyes darting around as if Louis would pop up out of nowhere. He hasn't seen him since he went back into the mall, when he came back Louis and the car were gone. Niall ended up looking everywhere for him, giving up only when he was so tired he could hardly stand. 

"I thought he was with you." Lottie answered. Her blonde hair was unbrushed per usual, bags decorating her under eyes and stains along her shirt. It wasn't the worst Niall's seen her. 

"Are you okay?" Niall questioned, resting his hand on her shoulder. 

"Yeah." She muttered pathetically. "I was just up late dealing with the twins. They missed Louis and got scared." 

Niall could easily picture Lottie staying up with her sisters as the night wore on, their fears tumbling through their minds in rapid succession. He knew they all had nightmares often, Louis himself had nightmares often. 

"I think we should call the police. I'm worried about Louis." 

Lottie immediately shook her head, heartbeat nonexistent. "Niall you know you can't do that." She practically gasped, appalled that he'd actually suggest it. "They'll come here and find out about our living situation and take us all from Louis and make us live in weird foster homes. They'll arrest our mother." 

"So you'd rather Louis die? Get killed or starved? Who knows what's happening to him right now. What has your mother ever done for you? Maybe she deserves jail." Niall exclaimed harshly, unable to hold it back. 

Lottie's eyes immediately turned into a whirlwind of grey, pearl-shaped tears escaping her wide eyes. She attempted to stifle her sobs at first then lost it, overcome by her wave of emotions. 

"Lots.." Niall said softly, wrapping an arm around her. She clasped onto him for support, whole body shaking. When she cried there was a rawness to it, like the pain was still an open wound. "This is important stuff we're dealing with. You aren't an adult." 

"I am an adult!" Lottie suddenly shouted, ripping away from Niall's hold. "I have to be!" She wiped furiously at her tears. "There's no real adult around here to give us the life kids are supposed to have. I have to work my ass off just to make sure my family is fed, I haven't had brand new clothes since I started middle school, my house is a disease waiting to happen." 

Niall watched her breakdown, tears gathering in his eyes as Lottie shouted at him relentlessly. Her emotional pain seeped out in her words and it hurt to hear them. He senses her troubles, yet also knows there's so much bravery, tenacity. 

"You're the strongest girl I've ever met." He said softly. She sniffled, inhaling deeply and letting it out to bring herself to calmness. "You're doing a great job, you know it?" 

"Thank you." She whispered brokenly.

It was like she cut his heart and mind in half, stinging with every breath he took. 

**  
Louis blinked his eyes open upon realizing he was still in a car. Last time he looked, blackness was absolute in the sky, now the silvery mist of dawn was visible. Outlines of houses were becoming clear, twinkling stars disappearing, not to be seen again until that night. 

"Look who finally decided to wake up." 

Louis turned his head and spotted Harry, his eyes fixed on the long stretch of road ahead of them. 

"I didn't sleep that long." Louis responded indignantly. 

Harry flickered his eyes towards Louis to give him a look. "I didn't sleep at all." 

Louis could tell. Harry's previous lively green eyes were now droopy, like they were fighting. Under them were dark circles, ones that weren't there yesterday. 

"I could drive for you." Louis suggested quietly. "So you can rest." 

"There's a lot of issues with that. For one, you don't know where we're going." 

Louis realized this was true. He asked Harry repeatedly where they were going, but was usually shut up with a threat. Louis doesn't like threats. 

Louis slouched down in his seat with a sigh. "Because you won't tell me." 

"We're almost there anyway." 

As silence surrounded them, Harry thought back to the previous night. He learned a lot about Louis. They talked about his love for football and piano, he learned about his shitty excuse for a mother and his wildest dreams. It was actually nice since nobody ever really gives Harry a chance. Louis did. 

"Is that where you..live?" 

Ahead of them was a long, narrow path that led straight to the biggest warehouse Louis' ever seen. It was two stories high, a one story extension for a kitchen presumably. The wood-framed sash windows were covered with black material so you couldn't see inside, a rose garden planted in the front, riddled with weeds. 

"I live in a lot of places." Is all Harry responded with as he drove up to the warehouse. 

He killed the engine and opened his door, stepping out into the early morning air. It smelled like rainwater from the previous night, the wet atmosphere kissing Harry's sleepy-warm skin. 

"C'mon." Harry motioned for Louis to follow him as he approached the door and pulled it open. 

Louis walked inside, greeted with the scent of fireplace and polisher, which was not expected. The ceiling was lined with massive wood beams, the walls gray and lined with oak panels. There was a small kitchen to Louis' left with tiled floor and vinyl counters, the hum of the old refrigerator heard. 

Straight ahead sat two boys on an old-looking sofa, in front of a gray stone fireplace, a fire dancing inside. One of them was playing a video game on a tv that occupied most of the space on the baguette-colored wall. He had brown eyes, flecks of silvery light performing ballets in them. His dark eyebrows were slanted downward in a serious expression, his twining cords of muscle showing off due to the black tank top he had on. 

The other one was watching him play, a cigarette placed between his lips. A prominent jaw curved gracefully around the strength of his neck, his midnight-black hair shiny and lustrous. On either side of his straight nose were two blazing hazel eyes that were fixed on the tv screen. 

"Hey Liam, Zayn." Harry said, capturing their attention immediately. "I'm back." 

Both boys lost interest in the game immediately as their eyes ghosted over to Louis, who was still standing idly by the door. 

"Hostage?" Liam asked, his eyebrows furrowed together. 

Harry kicked off his shoes carelessly, each of them landing a couple of feet away from the fridge. 

"Names Louis. I don't know what to do with him, he caught me stealing a Mercedes." 

Zayn shook his head like he was disappointed, putting out his cigarette. It stayed quiet for a moment as he did so, his lips parted in concentration. 

"We have Rohypnol." He said. "Knock him out, won't remember shit." 

At that, Louis became nervous, his thoughts scattering like an electrical storm in his head. 

"I think I will, but he's been good. So I'll just take him home." Harry decided, shuffling into the kitchen. 

Louis couldn't help it, the words coming out of his mouth before he could think. "As opposed to what?" 

"As opposed to tying you to a fence and throwing knives at you for fun." Zayn asserted without missing a beat. 

Liam gave him a warning-like look to which he shrugged. 

Louis couldn't help but notice that the two both had scars like Harry; bruises scattered on their knuckles and several cuts along their chests or cheeks, like they'd been in many fights. It was chilling. 

"Oh yeah he's got a mouth on him." Harry said from the kitchen. The fridge door was open, Harry scanning through it as he spoke. "But he listens to me. I know his weaknesses." 

Louis folded his arms together, uncomfortable as Harry shot him a sly wink.

"What is all this?" Louis asked, arms crossed more in annoyance than fear. "A gang?" 

"We're conniving malefactors, kid. Not some gang with fists that you see in a movie." Zayn answered, blunt. 

"So where do you learn all this criminal stuff from then?" Louis spoke up again, his own defiance building up within him. 

Liam set down the controller, eyes boring into Louis' "By watching countless hours of Law & Order." 

"Really?" 

"No." 

Louis was going to ask another question but decided against it, the look on the boys' faces telling him not to. 

"Enough, Louis." Harry told him, strolling into the room. "Boys, we have to go." 

Louis watched as the two boys stood up obediently, walking down a long corridor like controlled robots. He shifted his gaze to Harry, who was typing away at his phone, distracted. 

"Where are you going?" 

Harry looked up, expression unreadable. "To take care of some business. You're staying here." 

Louis' heart plummeted to his stomach, immediately shaking his head. "You can't just leave me here." 

"Yeah.. I can." Harry responded hotly, impatience skyrocketing. He pocketed his phone and slipped his black derby shoes back on. Seconds later, Liam and Zayn reappeared, both now wearing appropriate jackets to go outside in and shoes. "Be a good boy and wait here until I get back—and don't touch anything." 

Louis opened his mouth to protest again but it was too late, all three where already shuffling out the door, leaving Louis alone in his heavy thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter might take a bit longer to be posted because it's quite action packed, but it'll be worth it :-)
> 
> Thanks for reading as always.


	4. Three.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crook rule #3: don't get attached

"Bunch of cunts." Harry muttered as he shut his car door angrily. It was late, the transitory moonlight bleaching the grey-scale world above him. The chorus of crunching gravel echoed angrily into the nights emptiness as Harry, Liam, and Zayn made their way up to the warehouse. "I'm keeping the car." 

You see, Harry was always good with confrontation... until tonight. He'd gone to confront Josh for not paying up the money he owed Harry, and things turned ugly. 

Harry gladly accepted the deal to steal a Mercedes for Josh's money, but when he got there it was all excuses. Harry was calm at first, letting Josh explain with great patience, but soon he hit his breaking point. Harry was blinded by a five-course serving of rage that tasted bitter, and ended with him and his boys getting into a rambunctious mess of flying fists and broken glass. 

"You don't owe him shit." Zayn said in response, lit cigarette shoved between his lips as always.

Harry didn't say anything, just unlocked the heavy wooden door and pushed it open. Everything was just as Harry left it, nothing touched or out of place. He looked around until his eyes settled on a chair in the corner; there was Louis huddled in a ball in the grey arm-chair, sleeping. The soft lamp-light fell on his clean, porcelain face, his eyelashes fanning out flawlessly over his high cheekbones. 

"Oh yeah, the kid." Liam commented, breaking the silence. He peeled off his jacket, tossing it carelessly on the nearby sofa. 

"I forgot he existed." Zayn agreed, toeing off his shoes. "Surprised he didn't try and escape." 

Harry ignored both of them, eyes still trained on Louis' sleeping figure. He seemed to be stuck in a prophet-like meditation, his nose twitching and breathing slow and relaxed. Harry thought back to in the car, when Louis talked about often losing sleep to care for his sisters. 

"Just let him sleep." Harry said quietly. His eyes were still rested on Louis, but he could practically feel Zayn's disapproval. 

"What's with you?" He said from behind Harry. 

Harry turned around and was met with Zayn's look of disapprobation. His arms were crossed, jaw clenched. 

"Excuse me?" Harry cautioned. 

"You're never this nice to hostages. He's here for a reason Harry, I'm not getting tossed in jail because you feel bad for some kid." 

Zayn's words hit Harry hard, like he was punched in the gut. He didn't even realize how nice he was being to Louis. Usually he'd be strained against zip-ties by now, his blood running over the plastic, mouth binded. Instead he's sleeping, curled up like a kitten underneath the soft throw-blanket. 

"Enough of what Harry wants." Liam cut in. "We're going to drug the kid and take him back to wherever you found him. He'll wake up and forget this ever happened, okay Harry? That's final." 

Harry stayed quiet, green eyes trained on Liam and Zayn as they left the room. Both of them made their way down a long corridor until they reached a metal storage cabinet. 

Inside the cabinet were bottles and bottles of liquids and pills, each container labeled with things like 'benzodiazepines, liquid ecstasy, or gamma-aminobutyric acid.' On the other side of the cabinet, guns of every shape and size lined the metal door, handcuffs and knives rested on either side. On the stop shelf there were things like medical gloves and antibacterial wipes. 

"Rohypnol, tongs, gloves." Zayn muttered to Liam. 

Liam nodded, grabbing each item carefully and shutting the cabinet door with his hip. Zayn locked it, sliding the key in his back pocket and leading Liam back towards where they left Harry. 

"Bring me a glass of water, don't take your time." Harry said without expression. He sat down on his knees in front of the coffee table, ripping the gloves out of Zayn's hand. Carefully, Harry used the miniature tongs to drop two Rohypnol tablets into the water, watching them dissolve into a fine powder. "Wake the kid up." 

Liam did as he was told, glad to see Harry finally acting like himself. 

Louis blinked his eyes open, heart pounding and his mind empty. It was as if a hypodermic of adrenaline had been emptied into him. His breathing rate began to steady as the dimly-lit room brought Zayn, Harry, and Liam into focus. 

"You're back." He mumbled, voice weak from sleep. 

"Yeah." Harry responded. He shoved his gloved hand towards Louis so the glass of water was in his face. "Drink this."

Louis looked down at the glass as he took it from Harry. The water was cloudy like it was chlorinated and warmer than Louis' hand. 

"Why?" He asked. He knew better than to take water from three criminals who kept him trapped in a warehouse for 24 hours. 

While they were gone, Louis tried escaping multiple times, but he couldn't. So he walked around, exploring every inch of his temporary prison. He found things that made his skin crawl, like old knives and blood-stained ropes. It triggered him into a breakdown, overthinking about the hell-hole that is his life until he cried himself to sleep. 

"The air isn't healthy in here." Harry lied, eyes dark. "Hydrate." 

Louis closed his hand tighter around the glass and raised it toward his cracking lips. He lowered it un-drunk, his throat now leathery and coarse. He was scared, but the way the three boys were looking at him made it clear that he didn't have a choice. 

Maybe dying would be okay. Maybe he'd find a place where he could escape and slip into a world of peace. He won't make it like this. But then images of his family flashed through his mind, and he knew. 

So in one motion he raised the glass and chugged it down before clasping both hands over his mouth to keep it in. 

**  
The atmosphere at the Tomlinson household was quiet. Louis' siblings as well as Niall and Grimmy sat knee-deep in silence. The faucet dripped into the sink, each one reverberating around the room like a cymbal, yet no-one blinked or moved to stop it. Outside there was no traffic or bird song, by now it must be mid afternoon. 

"Nothing?" Niall asked out loud, shattering the silence. "Nobody has anything." 

From the end of the table, Phoebe spoke up without doubt. "We could put a bowl of fruit snacks outside for him. Louis likes those." 

"He's not a dog Phoebe." Lottie nearly snapped, exhausted. 

The group had been sitting there since morning, tossing around ideas to find Louis. They'd already hung up 'missing person' signs everywhere, most of them now crumpled from the Autumn air. 

"Niall can you just— Where did you last see him?" 

Grimmy had asked Niall that same question approximately 4 times now, but Niall answered again anyway. 

"We were in the parking lot," Niall started, mind flashing back to images of Louis in his little beanie, nose reddening from the cold. "I left the keys in one of the shops so I left him there to run inside and get them. I came back and he wasn't there, and neither was the car." 

"Was there anything left behind? Anything at all?" Fizzy piped up. She looked exhausted, throwing her hands up in exasperation. 

Niall looked away. "Just a dent in the van that was parked next to our car." 

Nothing was enough to erase the stain of guilt left on Niall. The more everyone worried the worse he felt, the guilt sitting on his chest and not going away. He shouldn't have left Louis alone. 

He hasn't felt this guilty since he used his own money to pay Louis' mother to have drugs, just to get her away from the house. He knew Louis would find out, but did it anyway. He tried to make amends in subtle ways, but Louis' forgiveness was out of the question for a while. 

"If him and the car were both missing, don't you think he took it?" Grimmy suggested. 

"No." Niall stated plainly. "He couldn't have if I had the keys, Louis isn't genius enough to hotwire a car. Someone had to have taken him." 

Before anyone could speak another word, the front door swung open abruptly. There was a split second of hope for them all, until Johannah came stumbling into the house. 

Her hair was greasy, eyes sunken and threaded with red so densely that they appeared pink. Her cheeks glowed under broken veins and she was struggling to keep her balance, like her brain was sending signals to tell her what to do but her body was telling her otherwise. 

"Mommy." Daisy muttered, scooting her chair back. 

Everyone watched in deathly silence as the adolescent approached her mother for a hug.

For a second Jo just stood there frozen, like she was paralyzed. Soon after though, she fit her arms around Daisy and hugged her back. 

Being around Jo was like waiting for a bomb to go off. A nervousness sat quietly within everyone, knowing she could act in a variety of ways. Alcohol was her only friend, and it didn't improve her temper. She was always drunk, storming into the house at times claiming that she still lived there. Every time she ended up slumped on the floor passed out due to the transparent liquid that bathed the ice in her cup. 

"Hi sweetie." Jo breathed, voice cracking. "You've gotten so big." 

"Louis' missing." Daisy said in response instead of offering up small talk. 

Jo's facial expression didn't change, already giving away the fact that she didn't care but was going to pretend she did. 

"He is?" She gasped in mock surprise. 

Niall stood up from his chair approaching the two in Daisy's defense. 

"Yeah, he is." Niall told her, jaw clenching unintentionally. "So if you're here to steal food and stink up his bed then leave." 

"It's ridiculous that I'm not welcome in my own home." Jo said like she was talking to herself. 

From the opposite side of the room, Lottie sat with her casted eyes downward, hands folded in her lap. It took a lot of her self control to stay put. 

"This isn't your home. We pay the bills." She muttered, intending on her mother hearing it. 

"You guys are overreacting." Jo half-slurred, pushing Daisy out of the way to stumble towards the kitchen. "He'll come home." 

She opened the cabinets, searching through them and knocking over cans of vegetables in the process. She kept muttering to herself, grumbling and not bothering to pick up the cans. 

"We don't have any alcohol." Fizzy informed her sternly, eyes blazing. 

Jo stopped digging and looked her daughter in the eye with the kind of glare that could kill. "I wasn't looking for alcohol. I'll just go take a nap." 

She trudged towards the stairs, providing them all with the sight of a bag full of drugs hanging out of her back pocket. 

Niall was going to stop her. Kick her out and make her sorry she even showed up here, but Lottie looked at him in a way that made it clear he shouldn't. 

"I'm over it." He breathed. "We're finding Louis, I'm calling the police." 

Nobody stopped him. Just sat there, hearts throbbing with fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the late update, and thanks so much for the positive feedback. It keeps me going :-)


	5. Four.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crook rule #4: Ditch and dash.

Louis wakes to the sound of moving that isn't his own. It's heaving, like crunching gravel under rubber boots. He listened, trembling and drowsy. He rolled to his left and realized he was lying on the hard ground, and his eyes were open yet he can't think of why. His heart was pounding, mind empty, as if a hypodermic of adrenaline had been emptied into his carotid. 

"Never mind, he's conscious." 

Louis lolled his head forward upon hearing an unfamiliar voice and was met with the sight of a pair of laced up trainers and two long legs. He slowly blinked up and saw a tall and willowy brunette with skin like silk over glass and wavy mid-length hair. 

"I—" Louis began but stopped short, too confused to say anything else. His voice was weak, failing at the first syllable, cracked lips sealing shut. 

"Are you hurt?" The girl asked, cherry lips stuck in a permanent frown. "You look terrible, how long have you been out here?" 

She was right. Louis' nose was red and numb, his lips purple and tinged with blue. His lips were also dry and chapped beyond words, you could tell that the cold licked at his face and spread across his skin like the lacy tide on a frigid winter beach. 

"I don't know." He admitted softly. The last thing he could remember was waiting for Niall to come back from the mall with his brothers car keys. "Who are you?" 

"My name's Eleanor. I was going for a run and found you lying here, nearly thought you were dead." 

Louis took the opportunity to sit up and take in his surroundings. The old, yellow and brown leaves hustled in the wind, as the sounds of dead, weak trees, creak at every push the wind gave. It's the end of fall and the air is colder than an ice cube, as it climbs through his jacket to the bottom of his spine. Ahead of him was a muddy path, frozen animal prints evident every other step. 

Louis sighed heavily, frustrated with his own confusion. "I don't know how I got here, or what's going on, but I need to get home." He got himself up on wobbly legs, nearly falling flat on his face in the process. 

"Hey, easy there." Eleanor chided, grabbing his arm and helping him keep balance. "Slow down, don't you think we should contact the police?" 

"What— no. I'm fine, nothing a bath can't fix." Louis insisted, attempting to stand on his own. 

He had no interest in finding out what happened to him, he just wanted to go home and make sure his family was okay. That's always a priority for him. 

"You're not fine." She said, yanking his hands up. "Look you've got frostbite." 

"Frost what?" 

Eleanor sighed. "It's like you aren't even from this planet. Where do you live I'll take you home." 

"The South side. The small, poor, South side of Doncaster." Louis told her, shoving his frost bitten fingers in his jacket pockets. "Pretty girls like you don't make it there, I highly suggest you continue your run." 

Louis started to regain enough composure to walk away, but Eleanor quickly protested again. 

"I'm not afraid of South Doncaster, I need to make sure you're safe." She insisted, hand on his bicep. 

Louis' eyes flickered from her hand to her face, it was frozen solid in a serious expression. He knew then that she wasn't going to let it go. 

"Alright," He sighed. "Let's go." 

**   
Louis wasn't expecting to end up in a strangers house. But fifteen minutes later he found himself standing in a house so large that it was intimidating. 

The house was indeed Elizabethan, with wooden panels along the corridors, ornate chandeliers, and oil paintings of old bearded men in tunics and ruffs. The stairs led down into a tall galleried room with a rug spread out over flagstones and a fireplace big enough to park a car in. A long polished wooden table had been set for four even though it was only slipping into afternoon. 

"Are you going to just stand there or what?" Eleanor said, having already taken off her running gear. 

Louis tore his gaze away from the crystalline chandelier and made direct eye contact with her. 

"So you aren't going to make me take off my shoes and put them in a plastic bag?" 

Eleanor rolled her eyes and yanked Louis forward by his hand. "No. Not all rich people are complete tools." She claimed, dropping his hand and walking towards the kitchen with a gentle sway of her hips. "We're going to have tea and chat, and then I'll get you home." 

Louis didn't say anything for a while, just slowly followed her towards the kitchen. Everything in it looked brand new, like icy plastic was glossed over every detail, not to be touched. 

"I've never seen anything like this before." He whispered, mostly to himself. 

"What, a house like this?" Eleanor asked, not turning around from the teapot. "They're mostly in movies, my mom went a little overboard." 

"I don't watch movies much." 

Eleanor turned with a curious eye. "What do you do?" 

"Work." Louis answered without missing a beat. "Work and take care of my sisters, that's it." 

He knew how it sounded. He knew that Eleanor's mind was probably a paint splatter of astonishment, but it was his life. There were no good details to give her. Every day he'd wake up, feed his family, get them to school and then work until night time. Rinse and repeat, same routine every day. 

"That's it?" 

Louis shrugged, small. "That's it." 

"Oh come on," she snorted, turning back towards the kettle as it went off. "What do you do for fun?" 

"My best mate and I steal packs of cheap beer from a bars storage closet sometimes, drink them." Louis said lamely. 

"Wow." Was all she said. 

Louis let the serenity of silence linger among them for a second, gladly accepting the warm tea when Eleanor offered it. He sighed, "When you live a life like mine all that matters is staying alive, okay?" 

"Don't think I'm judging you, because  
I'm not." She said seriously, sitting across from him at the table. "I know that some people don't have it easy. It just proves you're strong." 

Louis' mind flashed back violently, providing him with images of his younger self at the foot of the stairs. 

"Be strong Louis." His mother had sobbed, blood covering her hands. "I need you to be strong." Her sobbing was desolate, all her hope drained as she sank to her knees gasping and clawing at nothing. Pain flowed through her, palpable as frigid wind. 

"Louis?" 

The image vanished as if it were never there, and Eleanor's face came into focus as Louis snapped out of his strangling thoughts. 

"Sorry." He blurted, trying to gather his breathing. 

"What are you thinking about?" She asked him, voice carrying concern. 

Louis looked away. "I'm always thinking."

Eleanor felt for him. They've only known each other for an hour and she can already feel the deep sadness that radiates off Louis. In this sadness there is no past or future, just living by the moment. Every day is measured from the moment of waking into this new reality until his body can do no more, until sleep comes to rest his weary mind. 

"Come on," She said gently. "You need to warm up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the most uneventful chapter my apologies. The next one should be up soon, thanks for reading frens.


	6. Five.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crook rule #5: Take care of business.

"Hey kid." Niall cautioned at a little boy. "I suggest paying for that candy bar or putting it back."

It was late on a Tuesday night, a week after Louis' miraculous homecoming, and him and Niall were working a shift at the grocery store per usual. 

The boy had a mop of brown hair that dominated his narrow face, his skinniness exaggerated by the too-small clothes he had on. Niall didn't feel bad for him, he knew that everyone around here was poor. And the only way to obtain money in South Doncaster was to steal it or scam it. 

From behind the cash register, Louis snuck a look at the boy just as he defeatedly put the candy back and stomped out of the store. 

"You've just crushed all his dreams." Louis commented, small smile on his face. 

Niall scoffed. "If I couldn't get away with that when I was a kid then he can't either."

Louis shook his head, a knowing smile still evident on his face as he continued counting money. Silence surrounded the pair like unavoidable nothingness, no customers, just two boys and a defeating quiet. 

Niall listened to the sound of his own ragged breaths and beating heart, the only indication that he was really living. He always had a hard time finding he difference between living and being alive. 

"Louis." He said, mind clouded with wonder and urgent need for answers. "Can we talk about it now?" 

Louis paused, staring at the money in his hand for a few moments as if he was frozen like that, then shook his head abruptly. 

"There's nothing to talk about." 

Niall sighed. "Yes there is. You can't just go missing for 3 days without a trace and then show up with some rich brunette with no explanation." 

"I have no explanation because I don't remember what happened to me, okay?" Louis insisted. 

"Exactly. I want to help you remember." 

The thing is, Louis doesn't want to remember. He'd like to imagine himself blackout drunk, partying it up for three days with hot groupies, not being dragged into the woods and used as a sex slave or worse. 

"Niall, it's fine." Louis told him dismissively, shutting the register and locking it. "Come on let's go count bread stock before Grimmy shows up." 

"The bread isn't going to jump off the shelf and run away," Niall said, crossing his arms. "and if it does then you need to call Jesus because there's something wrong." 

Louis rolled his eyes, ignoring Niall's dramatic monologue and making his way to the bread section. Niall reluctantly followed, thoughts of Louis' disappearance still hot in his mind. 

"That's him." A voice said from nearby. It was a girl, her voice hushed like she didn't want them to hear but failing miserably. 

"Don't point, Poppy." A more adult voice rang out afterwards. 

Louis and Niall both flickered there eyes over to see a little girl who's appearance was a perfect picture of "poor family." She was not dressed in much more than a rag and some scuffed boots, she had flaxen black hair and a face that had an unhealthy look to it. Her eyes were hard open as she stared at Louis like he was alien. 

The woman next to her had to be her mother due to their striking resemblance. She smiled weakly at Louis and gently tugged the adolescent in the opposite direction. 

"That's been happening way too often." Louis muttered, sitting down down on his knees and clicking his pen to begin scribbling down inventory. 

From above him, Niall sighed heavily. "Stuff like this doesn't happen around here, people want answers." 

"I don't have answers." Louis responded in a careless tone. "I told you I don't remember."

Niall seemingly gave up, dropping down next to Louis on the dusty tile and helping him count up the loaves of bread. 

Time passed by in a blur, the two boys sitting in the depths of silence, the only sound being the ink gliding over paper as they did their tedious job. Just as Louis was about to stand up, a black high heel appeared before his eyes. He looked up and was met with the sight of Eleanor, her long legs bare and her hazel eyes boring into Louis' sapphire ones. 

"Long time no see." She chirped like this was perfectly normal. 

Louis stood up slowly, dusting off pants and watching her incredulously. She doesn't looked like she was on her way to a red carpet event with her dark hair curled so perfectly it looked fake, coal-black eyeliner making her eyes brighter than usual. She had on a dress that made her look like she couldn't breathe, edged with sparkles and completed with the heels that made her unnecessarily taller. 

"Um—" Niall swallowed thickly, eyes roaming over Eleanor. 

Louis shook his head quickly, as if to snap himself out of a dream. "—What are you doing here?" 

"What does it look like?" Eleanor practically giggled, her cherry-red lips pulling back to reveal a set of whitened teeth. When Louis and Niall both didn't answer, she rolled her eyes. "We're going out tonight." 

"We're?" Louis gawked. 

"Yes. of course." 

Louis wasn't sure what to say next. He only met Eleanor a week ago, under some pretty odd circumstances. Now she's showing up at his work in the beat up South side looking like a Disney princess. 

"Eleanor.." He trailed off. "I have to work. And we're not friends. I appreciate what you did before but you're not some fairy God mother now."

Eleanor blinked at him. 

"That's exactly what I am." 

** 

An hour later Louis found himself following Eleanor as she weaved through the crowd of adrenaline-shot people like a pro, her smile wider than the golden gates.

The music was blaring, reverberating around the spacious club like an angry wildfire. It was nothing like anything Louis' ever experienced before. 

"What do you think?" Eleanor shouted at him over the music. 

Louis was now by the bar, eyes fixed on the dance floor where people clad in silk and leather appeared and disappeared inside the revolving columns of smoke. The club was filled with it, dry-ice smoke, and a multicolored fairyland of neon green, pink, and blue lights. 

"It's.." Louis paused to find the right word. "Corybantic." 

Eleanor giggled. She was dancing, or at least what could pass for dancing, swaying back and forth wildly with her cup lifted towards the ceiling. 

"I for one, am really enjoying myself." 

Louis could tell. Eleanor blended in to the atmosphere perfectly while Louis stuck out like a sore thumb. Everyone else was all skin-tight clothes and drunken dizziness, and Louis was all old jeans and awkward stillness. 

"I feel that this dj is doing an exceptional job tonight right?" She continued. 

Louis didn't answer, knowing it was the alcohol talking. He wasn't quite sure how she could be enjoying herself anyway, going to a club with Louis is about the equivalent to going with a broomstick. 

From across the club, Harry Styles stood on a balcony, dark eyes glued to Louis, who was oblivious. Even from here Harry could make out the boys' deep and catastrophic eyes, a vivid baby blue with flecks of silver. Louis' distinct cheekbones and an angular jaw seemed to have gotten stronger since Harry had ditched him weeks ago. 

Harry leaned on the balcony rail, watching intensely as was Louis awkwardly forced to dance with a tall brunette he's never seen before. It wasn't long after that a devilishly handsome man approached Louis with a smile so fake that Harry could feel his dishonesty. 

The man swiftly snatched Louis' wallet from his back pocket, turning and running towards the exit. Harry watched Louis and the girl rush after him in a panic. 

Harry quickly dodged past several bodies to get to the stairs, descending them as fast as he could without tripping. He kept his experienced eyes trained on the man, shoving people out of the way to run after him. Harry moved as fast as his legs could take him until he collided with a waitress, both of them toppling over and covered in broken glass and alcohol. 

Louis and Eleanor both watched, stunned as Harry got back up and had the mans shirt clutched in his grip. The man ripped free from Harry and successfully ran out of the club. 

"Oh fuck you!" Louis called after him once they were outside, watching him disappear into a car. 

Eleanor rolled her eyes. "Asshole!" 

From beside them, Harry caught his breath, shaking out his wet hands. "Ah, sorry." 

"That, was fucking incredible." Eleanor breathed. "Honestly one of the most heroic things I have ever seen. Like, did you see him?" She asked Louis, practically drooling over Harry. 

"Yeah." Louis mumbled distractedly. He was too busy staring at Harry like he was on the very brink of knowing all it is possible to know. For the briefest of moments he felt he'd seen him before, somewhere. Everything about his appearance seemed familiar in Louis' eyes, then in that fleeting moment of familiarity, all that might have happened before deemed itself brand new.

"Stupid, but man, heroic." Eleanor continued. She turned on her heel as Louis forced out a fake laugh and all three approached the club entrance. 

"Where do you think you're going?" The bouncer asked impatiently. He was somewhat too tall for his build; face mostly obscured by a red scraggly beard that clung to his skin like winter ravaged ivy tendrils. 

Louis shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Are you serious?" 

"Where's his stamp?" The bouncer said smugly. 

"Can you believe this joker?" Eleanor scoffed. "If you were doing your job he wouldn't have had to leave." 

"No stamp, no re-entry." 

"Is he serious?" Eleanor asked to no one in particular again. She felt her own self control fly out the window. "Fat prick." 

"Fine." The bouncer laughed. "You're all out." 

"For what?" Louis exclaimed, throwing his hands up. 

The bouncer shrugged. "Drugs." 

"You probably let him get away because you know him." Eleanor practically spat. 

The people in line to enter the bar watched on attentively, with a blunt refusal to avert their curious eyes. It was odd to see those unfamiliar features devoid of care, but full of impatience. 

"Shut up, skank." The bouncer said, his teeth gritted. 

Harry lightly shoved between the two, "Watch your mouth." 

The man switched his attention to Harry, stepping away from Eleanor to instead get in his face. "Or you're going to do what?" 

"Okay, okay." Louis spoke up quickly, "Forget it. Please forget it. Let's get a cab, come on." 

Eleanor nodded and grabbed Louis' arm to walk away from the scene, but Harry stayed put as the bouncer laughed quietly. 

He nodded slowly to himself, nonchalantly looking at his watch and then starting to turn the other way. It looked like he was going to give up and join the others in walking away, but right at the last moment he spun around and abruptly knocked his fist into the bouncers face. 

The crowd of people in line roared with appalled reactions as the man toppled backwards into the velvet rope. After a minute he was back up and ready to lunge at Harry, but it was too late. He was already halfway down the street, smug smile dancing across his face. 

Harry never did like bouncers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took me forever to update I know, ill try to update more often. Happy new year everyone! and i hope you had good holidays, thanks for reading xx


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